| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Distinguished Provincial at Paris by Honore de Balzac: in the corner, looked serious at this.
Florine was thin; her beauty, like a bud, gave promise of the flower
to come; the girl of sixteen could only delight the eyes of artists
who prefer the sketch to the picture. All the quick subtlety of her
character was visible in the features of the charming actress, who at
that time might have sat for Goethe's Mignon. Matifat, a wealthy
druggist of the Rue des Lombards, had imagined that a little Boulevard
actress would have no very expensive tastes, but in eleven months
Florine had cost him sixty thousand francs. Nothing seemed more
extraordinary to Lucien than the sight of an honest and worthy
merchant standing like a statue of the god Terminus in the actress'
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: a University. They do it so well in the daily papers. What you
really are is a Bunburyist. I was quite right in saying you were a
Bunburyist. You are one of the most advanced Bunburyists I know.
JACK. What on earth do you mean?
ALGERNON. You have invented a very useful younger brother called
Ernest, in order that you may be able to come up to town as often
as you like. I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid
called Bunbury, in order that I may be able to go down into the
country whenever I choose. Bunbury is perfectly invaluable. If it
wasn't for Bunbury's extraordinary bad health, for instance, I
wouldn't be able to dine with you at Willis's to-night, for I have
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Tanach: Jeremiah 23: 32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies, and by their wantonness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither can they profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 23: 33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying: 'What is the burden of the LORD?' then shalt thou say unto them: 'What burden! I will cast you off, saith the LORD.'
Jeremiah 23: 34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say: 'The burden of the LORD', I will even punish that man and his house.
Jeremiah 23: 35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother: 'What hath the LORD answered?' and: 'What hath the LORD spoken?'
Jeremiah 23: 36 And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more; for every man's own word shall be his burden; and would ye pervert the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God?
Jeremiah 23: 37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet: 'What hath the LORD answered thee?' and: 'What hath the LORD spoken?'
Jeremiah 23: 38 But if ye say: 'The burden of the LORD'; therefore thus saith the LORD: Because ye say this word: 'The burden of the LORD', and I have sent unto you, saying: 'Ye shall not say: The burden of the LORD';
Jeremiah 23: 39 therefore, behold, I will utterly tear you out, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from My presence;
The Tanach |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: mouth to mouth rather than announced by voice of herald, or public
notice.[11] Accordingly, in addition to[12] this method of ordering
the march by word passed along the line, the appointment of file-
leaders seems desirable, who again are to be supplemented by section-
leaders,[13] so that the number of men to whom each petty officer has
to transmit an order will be very few;[14] while the section-leaders
will deploy and increase the front, whatever the formation, without
confusion, whenever there is occasion for the movement.[15]
[11] i.e. "given by general word of command, or in writing." As to the
"word-of-mouth command," see above, S. 3; "Hell." VII. v. 9; and
for the "herald," see "Anab." III. iv. 36.
|
